Advances in experimental medicine and biology最新文献

Despite alarming statistics on rapid biodiversity loss, concerted conservation efforts continue to offer opportunities to reverse this trend. Reproductive sciences play a crucial role in addressing threats to wildlife species from anthropogenic activities, including habitat destruction and other environmental changes. While conservation biology encompasses diverse areas, from ecology to biotechnology, reproductive experts often find themselves at the intersection of multiple disciplines. They collaborate with conservation partners, centralizing critical information to develop effective strategies for preserving and restoring animal species to their natural habitats. Persistent efforts to enhance our understanding of reproductive biology in understudied and underreported species, ranging from pollinators to fish to rare mammals, have resulted in a growing body of literature demonstrating the remarkable diversity of reproductive strategies across animal taxa. While classical research approaches remain essential, the integration of advanced tools such as high-throughput sequencing of DNA, RNA, proteins, and microbiomes has accelerated progress in this field. Significantly, a more precise understanding of wildlife reproduction facilitates the implementation of evidence-based conservation actions to sustain small populations and potentially assist their reproduction. In recent years, the integration of ethical considerations into research on wildlife reproduction and subsequent conservation actions has been carefully deliberated. Incorporating ethical frameworks, in conjunction with consultation, engagement, and participation of local communities, is crucial and expected to lead to more impactful decisions and successful implementation of conservation technologies.

The advancements in wildlife reproductive science present both ethical challenges and opportunities for the conservation and management of wild populations. This chapter delves into the ethical dimensions surrounding the applications of wildlife reproductive research and technologies. We emphasize the need for a comprehensive ethical analysis encompassing various dimensions such as social values, animal welfare, research ethics, conservation strategies, and environmental ethics. Advancements in wildlife reproduction science and technology can influence our health and views of society, the health and lives of wild animals, the conservation and management of populations living in the wild or kept as genetic reserves, and, ultimately, our relationship with the environment and our very ideas of nature and naturalness. We analyze and discuss from an ethical standpoint some key issues, including taxa prioritization, boundary problems, animal welfare, gathering and managing samples, technological dependency, respect for naturalness, and compliance with international regulations.

Oral health is increasingly recognized as an important factor in the regulation of systemic immune responses and neurological health. Disruption of immune homeostasis in oral tissues, particularly in chronic conditions such as periodontitis, has been linked to the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). This chapter explores how chronic inflammatory conditions in the oral cavity, oral dysbiosis, and the presence of specific periodontopathogens contribute to systemic immune activation, microglial priming, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction. The discussion addresses multiple mechanistic pathways underlying these relationships, such as hematogenous spread of microbial components with subsequent systemic immune stimulation, neural signaling via trigeminal and vagal pathways, and alterations in gut-brain communication through the integrated oral-gut-brain axis. The chapter also reviews findings from clinical and experimental studies demonstrating correlations between oral inflammation and cognitive impairment, structural brain alterations, and elevated inflammatory and neurodegenerative biomarkers. Oral health disturbances are considered not only as secondary outcomes of neurological disease but also as a potential contributing factor in their pathogenesis. The emphasis is on the importance of incorporating oral health assessment and maintenance into preventive and therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative conditions, while highlighting the necessity for well-designed mechanistic investigations to further explain these complex relationships.

The oral immune system functions as a primary line of defense, composed of oral epithelial barriers, salivary antimicrobial factors, and various innate and adaptive immune components to prevent pathogen entry. Resident immune cells in oral tissues help maintain tolerance to commensal microorganisms while simultaneously responding to harmful external stimuli and contributing to systemic immune regulation. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the immunological components and their functions in the oral cavity, emphasizing the dual role of maintaining tolerance to commensal microbes and dietary antigens while initiating protective responses against pathogens. Any disruptions in this balance, such as oral dysbiosis or immune dysregulation, can lead to the development of local inflammatory conditions; it may also contribute to systemic immune disturbances and related pathologies. Immune mechanisms also regulate craniofacial development and postnatal bone remodeling and regeneration, mainly through cytokine-mediated signaling pathways and interactions between stem cells and immune cells. Several local and systemic immunological pathways are often dysregulated in oral inflammatory conditions, which makes them important therapeutic targets. Therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways include immune checkpoint inhibitors, microbiome-directed interventions, stem cell-based therapies, and salivary diagnostics for real-time and noninvasive immune profiling. These offer promising approaches for restoring oral and systemic immune balance. Finally, this chapter has reviewed recent technological advances, such as single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), spatial transcriptomics, metagenomics, and multi-omics integration, in the context of oral immunity. These novel techniques are transforming oral immunology, since they enable high-resolution characterization of cellular, microbial, and molecular interactions, and support the transition toward establishing more precise diagnosis and treatment plans. These findings suggest that oral immunity plays a critical role in linking local mucosal defense and systemic immune responses. Therefore, understanding oral immune mechanisms in health and inflammatory conditions is important for revealing disease pathogenesis and guiding targeted interventions.

This chapter explores the role of salivary immune and endocrine biomarkers in diagnosing and managing skin and mucocutaneous diseases. These conditions, including allergic, inflammatory, and autoimmune disorders, often present complex diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Salivary biomarkers offer a promising alternative to traditional blood-based diagnostics, due to their non-invasive sampling method and the ability to reflect both local and systemic immune responses. Key biomarkers, such as cytokines, immunoglobulins, and stress-related hormones, have been identified in saliva and show associations with conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and oral lichen planus. Advancements in salivary diagnostics underscore the potential of biomarkers like IL-17, TNF-α, and cortisol for disease monitoring and personalized treatment approaches. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in standardizing these biomarkers across heterogeneous populations and in implementing cost-effective diagnostic tools into routine clinical practice. Further research is essential to validate the clinical application of these markers, develop reliable point-of-care devices, and design integrated biomarker panels that support early intervention and improve patient outcomes. The growing field of salivary proteomics and exosomal analysis heralds a transformative future for non-invasive, precision-based dermatological diagnostics.

The subgingival environment is a unique ecological niche where host-microbe interactions continuously occur, ultimately determining the balance that characterizes periodontal health or the disequilibrium featured in periodontal diseases. Importantly, knowledge of the subgingival microbiome has expanded dramatically due to the extensive use of next-generation sequencing techniques in both periodontal health and diseases, making it necessary to summarize and contextualize evidence from these types of studies. Consequently, this chapter first explores the anatomical and histological characteristics of the subgingival area and provides an overview of the microbial communities and immune surveillance mechanisms unraveling in this space and during periodontal health. Then, focus is placed on better defining periodontal inflammation as a main driver of microbial dysbiosis during disease. The subgingival microbiome in gingivitis and periodontitis is further analyzed, focusing on the environmental changes triggered by periodontal inflammation, as inflammation and tissue destruction lead to dramatic environmental changes that are associated with distinct microbial shifts. The microbial transition from health to gingivitis is explored in detail, discussing evidence stemming from studies dedicated to natural and experimental gingivitis. Finally, the dynamics of subgingival microbial communities in periodontitis and their connection with inflammation are explored, acknowledging the bidirectional nature of this relationship and highlighting its importance in determining health and disease in this setting.

Inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) are genetic disorders that impair immune defense and regulation, increasing susceptibility to infections, including those in the oral cavity. The oral microbiota plays a vital role in maintaining oral health, and in pediatric patients with IEIs, disruptions in this balance can lead to dental caries and other oral diseases. This chapter provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between immune deficiencies and oral microbiota dysbiosis, focusing on dental caries in children with IEIs. Omics technologies, particularly metagenomics, have enhanced understanding of the microbial diversity and metabolic activities within the oral microbiota of the patients. Key findings reveal that compromised immune responses in children with IEIs disrupt the balance of oral bacteria, making them more prone to dental caries. The chapter highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach, integrating microbiology, immunology, dentistry, and bioinformatics, to uncover the complex interactions between the oral microbiome and the immune system. The insights gained from this research will contribute to the development of personalized therapeutic strategies, improving the dental and overall health of pediatric patients with IEIs.

Posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) represents a paradigm shift in the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). As a high-dose, posttransplant immunomodulatory agent, PTCy offers a unique mechanism to facilitate graft tolerance, mitigate GVHD, and preserve graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects. The beneficial effects of PTCy on GVHD appears to be independent of donor type, graft source, or conditioning regimen intensity. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms underlying PTCy and its clinical applications in haploidentical, HLA-matched, and -mismatched HSCT, highlighting its transformative impact in transplantation medicine. PTCy is emerging as a new standard GVHD prophylaxis for all HSCT settings.

We aimed to determine the changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) due to uncontrolled orthostatic hypotension and the oxygenated hemoglobin(O₂Hb), deoxygenated hemoglobin (HHb), and total hemoglobin (THb) changes in a young male participant. The participant (23 y.o. male, no medication) stood in a quiet room before the main experiment. Changes in O₂Hb, HHb, and THb levels were detected using NIRS optodes comprising 12 light sources and 12 detectors, providing 24-channel simultaneous recording. A 30-mm inter-optode distance was set for measuring cortical tissue hemodynamics. The Cz position of the international 10-20 system was used to ensure consistent optode placement. The regions of interest were the right (R-) and left (L-) prefrontal cortex (PFC), supplementary motor area (SMA), and sensorimotor cortex (SMC). We also measured MAP and skin blood flow (SBF) from the forehead and hemodynamic changes in the left vastus lateralis (VL) muscle. The participant stood for 600 s, including baseline measurements. The MAP decreased rapidly at approximately 500 s. A decrease was noted in the O₂Hb and THb of the SMA from 420 s and L- and R-PFC from 450 s, but was more pronounced after 500 s. The HHb signal showed a change opposite to that of O₂Hb and THb. The SBF decreased momentarily at approximately 500 s but increased immediately after and did not recover until the end of the measurement at 540 s. The O₂Hb and THb of the VL increased from 500 to 540 s. NIRS may detect uncontrolled orthostatic hypotension before a decrease in the MAP.